From thunderous waterfalls to colossal statues and golden bridges to Martian deserts, these five landmarks are more than photo ops. They’re experiences that stir the soul and deserve a spot on any traveler’s short list.

1. Niagara Falls: America’s Thunderous Masterpiece

With a near-perfect 4.8-star rating from over 127,000 visitors, Niagara Falls isn’t just America’s most popular landmark — it’s one of the most universally loved. And for good reason: this natural wonder humbles you the moment you hear it before you even see it. The rumble of 700,000 gallons of water per second tumbling over Horseshoe Falls feels alive, almost prehistoric.

Stand at the railing on the American side and you’ll feel mist on your face and power in your chest. Patriotism too, thanks to nightly fireworks. Hop aboard the Maid of the Mist boat tour (or better yet, Cave of the Winds hike directly into the falls), and you’ll feel like you’ve been baptized by nature. When visiting, be sure to take in the falls from both the U.S. and Canadian side. Either way, Niagara powerfully delivers.

2. Statue of Liberty: The Emblem of Welcome

If Niagara Falls is nature’s exclamation point, the Statue of Liberty is America’s open hand. Standing tall in New York Harbor, “Lady Liberty” has greeted newcomers since 1886 — a gift from France that became a promise to the world. With over 109,000 reviews and a 4.7-star rating, the statue remains one of the most beloved landmarks anywhere.

Approaching Liberty Island by ferry (or the Staten Island ferry), the city skyline fades, and her copper-green torch comes into view like a sunrise. Climb to the pedestal for an intimate view of the folds in her robe, or go all the way to the crown (book well ahead) for a view that connects you to every hopeful soul who ever passed through Ellis Island. It’s hard not to feel something profound here — pride, gratitude, and maybe a little humility that such a simple figure could embody so much.

3. The National Mall: America’s Front Yard

If you want to feel America’s story in your heart, walk the National Mall. Stretching two miles between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, this corridor of monuments and museums is the nation’s collective scrapbook. It’s where Martin Luther King Jr. shared his dream, where generations have come to march, to mourn, and to marvel.

Start at the Washington Monument — still as elegant and commanding as ever — then stroll past the World War II and Vietnam Veterans memorials before climbing the steps to Lincoln’s towering likeness. Sit there a while. Watch the reflection of the monument shimmer in the pool below. It’s difficult not to be moved by the sense of unity and sacrifice these grounds represent.

See also: Mount Rushmore. Where the Mall captures patriotism in marble and words, Rushmore marries it with the wild beauty of the Black Hills — an outdoor anthem to four men who helped shape the nation.

4. Golden Gate Bridge: The Span of Expansion

There are bridges. And then there’s the Golden Gate. It’s not the longest or the tallest. But it’s undeniably the most cinematic — a glowing red ribbon arching over sea fog. Completed in 1937, it’s a triumph of design that still feels futuristic nearly a century later.

Drive, bike, or better yet, walk across it. From the middle of the span, you can see the city to one side, the Pacific to the other, and Alcatraz sitting stoically in between. The wind whips your hair, the bay sparkles below, and you realize you’re standing on a piece of human optimism made entirely by steel, American ingenuity, and westward expansion.

5. Monument Valley: The Spirit of the West

Few landscapes are as instantly recognizable as Monument Valley. Those rust-red buttes rising from the desert floor have framed countless Westerns and defined our cinematic sense of adventure. But standing there in person — watching the light shift across the mesas as the sun sinks low — is something else entirely.

This is sacred ground and the silence feels profound. Drive the 17-mile loop road slowly, stop often, and let the enormity of the space sink in. Monument Valley reminds you that America’s landmarks aren’t only about what we’ve built — they’re about what’s been here long before us.

From roaring water to silent stone, from symbols of freedom to feats of engineering, these five landmarks aren’t just destinations. They’re invitations — to feel small, to feel proud, and to remember just how grand the American landscape really is.

Blake Snow contributes to fancy publications and Fortune 500 companies as a bodacious writer-for-hire and seasoned travel journalist to all seven continents. He lives in Provo, Utah with his wife, five children, and one ferocious chihuahua.